Okay, shoot me. I don't like "worship music".

I just don't! I think it's cheesy. It lacks creativity. Nine times out of ten, the music ruins it for me. Sometimes I so disagree with the message of the song that the words kill it for me.

Recently I've been exposed to a lot of it. It hasn't been pretty, and it's really all I've been able to do to not openly criticize or make fun of it. And I've felt guilty. I really have felt like a bad person. How can you not like "worship music." I mean, it's supposed to be God's music, right?

Then I started thinking of it in terms of preference. I don't like "worship music" as a genre. It's not that I have never felt worshipful in song (although I've always contended that I feel more worshipful in other activities, such as study, service, etc.). I feel very worshipful when I hear certain songs. Have you listened to Lauryn Hill's Unplugged 2.0 album? I couldn't help but feel as if I were abandoning thoughts and heart to God while listening to that. What about U2's "All That You Can't Leave Behind"? There's a song by Ron Sexsmith called "The Idiot Boy" which is a wonderful worship song. This is the music I prefer to worship to. So it's not that I do not worship in song. It's that I see no real distinguishing line between "sacred" music and everything else, except that sacred music is any music that is honestly and earnestly seeking to express truth. If that's the case, then where does that leave "worship music" as a genre?

Honestly, I think that makes it a matter of preference. Asking me to jump up and down to "Jesus, You are My Best Friend" is like me asking you to foxtrot to old country music if you hate old country music. You wouldn't enjoy it, would you? Now imagine that everyone around you had so lionized that type of music that you felt guilty for not foxtrotting.

A local church here is advertising that their music is "distinctively sacred sounding", and not just whitewashed rock or country music. I wonder if there is such a thing as "sacred sounding" music... and I don't think there is. So I don't like "worship music" as a genre. So shoot me. Yet the beauty behind Aimee Mann's "Wise Up" can bring tears to my eyes when I think of how simple yet profound Christ's redemption of us is. What is a poor boy to do?

I think I'll go listen to some music.
posted by Stephen at 10:59 PM | |